


Lost.

by Uhmeduh



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), F/M, Good Octavian, M/M, Seer Octavian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-12 15:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,926
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29386914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Uhmeduh/pseuds/Uhmeduh
Summary: Octavian wakes up on a bus to the Grand Canyon knowing only his name and the voices in his head. He just wants to go back to wherever he came from. He knows he doesn’t belong. Why do the names Annabeth tells him feel so wrong?
Relationships: Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, Jason Grace/Octavian
Comments: 7
Kudos: 17





	Lost.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Zantedeschieae](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zantedeschieae/gifts).



I stared down at my hands. They were shaking. How was I here? Why was it so loud? Were only my hands shaking or was it all of me?

Who were all these people? Why were they talking to me? Who was she? Who am I? Was I supposed to know them? 

Don’t look them in the eye. They’ll see your fear.

Stop shaking.

Stop shaking.

I clapped my hands over my ears. The noises dulled slightly.

They were too loud. That other girl’s voice was too sharp.

A hand clapped onto my shoulder and I spun around, looking her straight in the eye.

Fool.

“Tavi? Are you okay?”

How dare she? I wasn’t Tavi to her. Who was she? 

“No.” I responded in the deadpan, not a hint of his fear leaking into my voice. I was more skilled than that. “Everything is too loud. The air hurts my skin. I want to tear my eyeballs out.”

“Dude.” A boy laughed across the aisle and my gaze snapped over to him. “I get that you don’t like bus rides, but we’ll be there soon.”

The girl huffed and rubbed soothing circles on my back. “Tavi—“ don’t call me that. Don’t call me that— “it’ll be okay. I promise.”

No. No it wouldn’t. I’m not Tavi. I’m not Tavi. Not to her. How dare she. I’m not hers.

I’m...

Whose am I?

Startling blue eyes flickered across my vision, electrical currents dancing in them. The pressure all around me, in my head, replaced itself with a pleasant static and I could feel myself melting into relaxation.

I was his. He was mine.

Who was he?

His name flew around but I could never catch it.

“Tavi?”

“Octavian.” I snarled. I’ve had enough of her and her words, her words felt so heavy, how dare they be so heavy? 

Why wouldn’t she leave me alone?

A look of pure hurt flitted across her face before it replaced itself with concern, even more than before.

“Yikes, Octavian.” There was that boy with the sharp laugh and curling words. They weren’t heavy like hers, they were light. Almost bouncing. “Just gave Pipes the right to call you that, now you’re taking it away.”

“Don’t call me Pipes, Leo.” Pipes, it seemed, rolled her eyes. She placed a hand on my forehead.

It was easier not to snap at her now, the electricity dulling my senses to a reasonable amount.

“Octavian, you’re feeling flushed. Do you have a fever?”

“I don’t know.” I didn’t know anything, it seemed.

What did I know?

I’m Octavian. Octavian what? 

Octavian who?

_ Octavian Caesar _ , a small voice provided.

It didn’t sound like mine.

It crackled like electricity and like those blue eyes.

Octavian Caesar.

How... Latin.

_ Of course _ , that voice replied, and I could almost hear a laugh.

“Leo, tell Coach Hedge.”

“Do I have to, Piper?” He grumbled, but it was easy enough to tell that he didn’t really care.

So her name was Piper then.

It was a nice enough name.

_ Not as good as Octavian _ , the voice supplied.

No, not as good as Octavian.

“Valdez tells me you have a fever?”

“He doesn’t know, Coach.”

I rubbed my eyes and looked the man in the eye. He felt off. Why was there pressure on my eyes?

It left as soon as I acknowledged it, at least.

“Piper says I feel like I have a fever, Sir.” The words came dripping from my mouth easily enough, like honey. “I didn’t notice it this morning,” it seemed to be noon, but I really didn’t even know where I was before now, “but everything is just so intense. My head is pounding.”

The man stared at me, focusing a little too long.

He knew I didn’t belong. Why didn’t he mention it?

“You don’t have to do the worksheet today, Caesar. You’ll have to get out of the bus, but you can stand on the sidelines.” I nodded slowly to myself, offering him a slight smile.

I could play pretend.

_ You’re good at it _ , the voice laughed in my mind.  _ Kept our secret up until your disappearance _ .

Where did I disappear from?

How do I get back?

Piper nudged me. “Hey, Octavian...” she offered me a small smile. “Switch with Leo, lay down, try to sleep a bit. I’ll deal with him, just for you.”

I nodded slowly, offering her a smile in return. She seemed to find it reassuring and kissed my cheek.

I glanced down at my cuffed jeans.

She seemed nice, and she was pretty. Why did my skin crawl and the voice go silent?

It felt angry.

I took the boy’s seat, curling up on it and resting my head against my knees.

The images kept flashing, too quick to grab. 

A golden sword. Black marble. Blue eyes.

A bronze sword. White columns. Sea green eyes. 

I let out a shuddering breath and hit the side of my head with the heel of my hand.

Why wouldn’t it just stop? I just needed to think clearly.

The bus lurched to a stop and my eyes snapped open again. My hand automatically drifted to my wrist.

A blue bracelet was tied tightly, more than triple knotted.

Next to it was a chain of golden links.

_ Thank Jupiter _ , murmured the voice in my head.

Thank Jupiter indeed.

I stood to follow the others, ignoring the way Piper’s hand slipped into mine.

I wasn’t a fool. I might barely know my name, but I know that look in her eyes.

Still, I could convince myself for a moment she was just worried about my “fever”.

I sat at the bench, head in my hands. I watched idly as Leo and Piper paired up. As a group of girls mocked them.

The air was so sticky and hot. Yet it was restless.

“So. Who are you really? These children are under my protection, I won’t let you kill them.”

I blinked and looked up at him.

“Octavian Caesar, I—“

And then that was the question. Knowing a name doesn’t mean knowing who you are.

“I’m not going to hurt anyone.”

The Coach stared at me. He made me uncomfortable. Why did he mistrust me so much?

_ You’d mistrust you too. _

I guess so.

“Why are you here?” He pressed harder.

“I don’t know. I don’t know anything. It’s aggravating, I—“

Something flashed across my vision and I stood. The electricity faded, but the overwhelming everything didn’t return.

“Something’s wrong. Something’s going to happen.”

“What—?” 

If something were to happen, it would do to stick with my allies. However little I know them.

“Octavian? You feeling better?” Piper smiled at me but I couldn’t smile back, playing with my two bracelets. 

It was getting closer. Closer.

Other students ambled around. A group of jocks walked slightly closer to us.

Now.

The bracelet broke with a tug and a golden dagger materialized in my hand.

Duck.

The fist of the largest swung over my head.

Stab.

The blade dissolved the shortest and skinniest of them.

Back.

I avoided a lunge toward me.

“Get your hands off the Cupcakes!”

The Coach tackled one of the—

_ Venti _ , the voice provided with a hint of amusement.  _ My favourite. You always hated them _ .

The large one seemed to have its hands full with the Coach. It made it easier to deal with the smaller, but smarter, remaining one.

Step. Duck. Stab. Sidestep. Feign.

The dance could be done forever. But the Coach was struggling and in a chokehold.

I could leave him.

But Piper was panicking. And he had been protecting them.

I let a punch hit me in the gut and knock the wind from me, using the moment to grab the spirit’s shirt and tug him ever closer to bury the dagger in his gut.

“Coach Hedge!” That was Leo’s voice. I spun, dagger raised.

_ It isn’t like venti to kidnap. What’s their motive? _

_ You know, if you could fly... _

But I can’t.

“Octavian, what the hell was that?” Piper’s voice was shaking. It was less heavy now, which was a bonus.

“Venti. Storm spirits. A pain in the ass, when you can’t fly.”

“Venti is the Latin name. In Greek we call them Anemoi Thuellai.”

A blonde girl looked between me and my knife. She looked like she wanted to tear me apart to learn my secrets.

Me too, honestly.

Why did she look so familiar?

My eyes cling to a streak of grey in her hair. How does someone so young get a streak like that? Bleach?

_ You know how. _

But I don’t. I should. I don’t.

“Gleeson told us about Piper, that must be you,” she smiled at Piper, “and Leo. Given that he described a short—“ 

“Hey!”

“— brown haired boy, that would be you.” Another correct identification.

She raised a dagger of her own. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“Octavian Caesar.” The dagger felt familiar too. It was important and bathed in blood. That much was certain. “I was hoping you could tell me the rest.”

Well. Now I was. I still had no clue who she was, but I knew she was important.

“Well that’s the most Roman name your parent could’ve possibly given you. Must‘ve read the wrong book on mythology.” The large man in the chariot grinned like he had made the funniest joke in the world.

Why wouldn’t a Roman name be the best possible name?

“... Annabeth Chase. Daughter of Athena.”

“Minerva?”

“And that right there is Butch, he’s the son of Iris.” She looked at me oddly, like I had said something almost funny but not quite. “Minerva is the Roman interpretation of my mother. My mother is a war goddess who attacks. The Romans got it wrong, they called her a war goddess who defends. They’re different. But sure, Minerva.”

Note to self. Athena, not Minerva.

Even though Minerva felt clearly correct.

“Woah. Why are you two talking about Greek and Roman mythology in the first place?” Leo looked at them like they were crazy, his hands fiddling with a piece of plastic.

“Because those were Greek monsters. Because we’re demigods, you three, me, and Butch, children of Greek gods.”

Why was his skin prickling?

There was a different voice, an amused one.  _ Not quite _ . It felt warm.

Not quite?

The blonde girl stared at me with narrow eyes, then looked around the canyon. “Just— get into the chariot. He’s not here. I’d know if he was here.”

Blue lightning flickered across my vision. Golden hair felt like it was tickling my cheeks but it wasn’t.

“Who?” Him, maybe? The one who was mine?

She stared long and hard at me as Piper and Leo climbed into the chariot. “Get in and I’ll tell you. You remind me of a friend.”

That was... good. I hoped.

I stepped into the chariot and looked up to the sky. I couldn’t help but feel bad for that teacher, despite having known him for only a few moments.

He seemed to have genuinely cared.

No birds.

Hm.

“So... who’re you looking for, hot stuff?” Leo attempted to wink flirtatiously, but it looked like he was struggling. Despite the Wrongness I felt, it still made me smile.

“My boyfriend. Percy Jackson. She told me he would be here. She said that if I came here, I’d figure out where he was.” She scoffed. The hatred and pain in her voice was evident.

Whoever She was, She had hurt Annabeth Chase before.

“I should’ve known she’d lie.”

“Annabeth.” Butch laid a hand on her shoulder, the other holding the reigns of the pegasi.

Oh. We were flying now.

“Percy wasn’t there, sure. But this Octavian kid—“

They do realize I’m right here, right?

“— was. That has to mean something.” He shrugged. “She said to look for the one who Sees.”

“They can all see, Butch!” Annabeth glared at him.

I looked over at Annabeth, studying her features. How did she have a streak of grey hair? She must’ve been my age, maybe even a little younger.

It probably didn’t help that I didn’t actually know my age.

“None of them even have glasses.”

Butch shrugged and focused back on the flying horses. “I don’t know, Annabeth. I think he might be the one you’re looking for.”

“I’m looking for Percy!” She ran her fingers through her hair and tugged on it.

She seemed desperate.

“He’s been gone for 3 days.”

She looked like she hadn’t slept since.

I looked down at my hands, the static once again overwhelming my senses. The golden chain was back around my wrist.

I chewed on my lip, tugging the skin off of it with my teeth. The stinging was stabilizing.

My head was killing me again. 

Why wouldn’t it stop?

I looked down at the ground and I could see little dots of bright orange, a hideous colour, smattered around what seemed to be a summer camp.

It looked disorganized.

We landed and got out, Leo stumbled a little bit but both he and Piper had looks of pure amazement on their faces.

They would be horrible politicians.

“Welcome to Camp Half Blood!” Butch grinned at us, clapping me on the shoulder and making my knees buckle.

Rude.

He was shorter than me.

“Well well, the chariot is in one piece this time. I’m impressed, Annabeth!” A boy came walking over with a bright smile and golden hair.

It wasn’t the same as the one who was mine.

He fiddled with the string of his bow, turning to grin at us all. I noticed, through the corner of my eye, Piper looking between the two of us. “I’m Will Solace, son of Apollo.”

Apollo. I smiled slightly to myself. That felt right.

“You’re all older than 13, should’ve been claimed already but don’t worry, they’ll notice soon and claim you. They’ve been pretty good at keeping their promise. We can thank Percy for that.”

The air went still and Will winced, the change was that noticeable. “Sorry, Annabeth. No luck?”

“No.” She snapped and crossed her arms. “And Coach Hedge was taken by wind spirit.”

Will winced again and rubbed the back of his head. “Yikes, uh...”

He would be a horrible politician as well.

A girl stepped forward and smiled at me. Her hair curled in perfect, dark, ringlets, and her eyes were a cool brown that could draw anyone in.

She was beautiful.

She was dangerous.

“They better be worth it if all we get from Percy going missing is them.” Her eyes ran over me and my chin tilted up.

If she thought I would curl under her gaze, she had another thing coming.

Piper looked distinctly uncomfortable.

“Given that Percy seems to be a hero, I doubt we can, but I have no doubt that we can at the very least cover your weaknesses. There’s three of us after all.”

Annabeth narrowed her eyes at me but the girl seemed to be none the wiser, flashing me a dazzling smile.

“I’m sure you could cover my weaknesses well enough on your own... we should see how compatible we are later.”

_... Ew _ .

“That’s enough, Drew.”

“I doubt Octavian wants to see how compatible he is with you.” Piper snapped and I blinked, looking over at her.

Couldn’t she see I had it handled?

Still, the sentiment was nice.

“And I doubt even more he, Octavian, is it?, wants to see how compatible he is with you.” She ran her eyes over Piper’s figure. “With your hair looking like it got caught by a lawnmower especially. Did you make those clothes yourself from what you found in the dumpster.”

Piper’s eyes lit up. They were brown, but I could almost see a fire within them.

Maybe not a politician, but every politician needs loyal allies willing to defend.

“Why you little—“

“Piper, Drew, both of you.” Annabeth looked so tired. Leo too looked uncomfortable, his gaze flickering back and forth between the two. He inched slightly away from Piper and made eye contact with me, quickly shaking his head.

Apparently this wasn’t the first time we had witnessed Piper fight. And Leo already knew Annabeth wouldn’t be able to completely.

“Oh come off it, Annabeth.” Drew rolled her eyes. “We get it. You and Percy are the heroes of camp, yada yada. But the war’s over, we’re both just councillors now. Same rank.”

Were they really the same rank? That made no sense, Annabeth clearly took her job far more seriously and deserved a higher rank.

“Anyways.” Drew’s drawl was soft and, in a way, captivating.

That would be, if I didn’t have a voice in my head making snide remarks towards her.

“From one girl to another, you should really just let that dream go. My mother is the goddess of love, he doesn’t love you—“

That seemed to be the last straw. Piper lunged towards her but was stopped in her tracks.

Hm. She was glowing.

Today just seemed to be one odd thing after the other.

The changes were subtle, but brought out the beauty she had been trying to hide. Her haircut evened out. There was a hint of shimmer on her eyelids where there hadn’t been before.

Her clothes had been changed ever so slightly. They were tidied, her ripped jeans had been replaced with wide legged, straight jeans. Her jacket was tied around her waist and she wore a denim jacket covered in various patches and pins.

All in all, she was as she was before, just more so.

Oh and she had a tiara.

That too.

Above her head flew a dove, circling around a few times.

Well... a dove made out of light. Not an actual dove.

“Venus. Goddess of Love, Beauty, Victory.” I smiled to myself and to Piper who was examining her clothing, the desire to deck Drew sated for the moment.

It made sense.

Annabeth cleared her throat. “Aphrodite, actually. Our parents are Greek deities. But yes, Goddess of Love and Beauty. She’s your mother, Piper.”

“There’s no way.” Drew looked on with disgust. “There’s no way we’re related. Mom must be making some kind of mistake”

Oh well.

Maybe there would still be bloodshed.

Piper turned and made eye contact with me. I almost winced. She would need to learn politics, it seemed. Perhaps I could teach her. 

“Damn, Pipes! Maybe it was a good idea for me to call you Beauty Queen after all.” Leo grinned and Piper levelled an icy look at him.

Couldn’t he tell that Piper didn’t need joking right now?

_ He’s trying his best. _

But his best isn’t good enough.

Annabeth cleared her throat. “As you can see, that’s what a claiming looks like. Let me show you three around camp. Drew, you have archery right now, don’t you?”

“Unfortunately.” Drew shot a look at Piper, turning on her heel and walking off.

I had a feeling that would not be the last we saw of her.

Annabeth took us to the cabins, pointing out each one and naming the parent of the demigods within.

The names she used felt ever so slightly off.

The Apollo cabin nearly blinded Leo. It seemed that he had sensitive eyes. It barely glowed for me. It was nice, if gaudy and a waste of resources. Cabins were simply for sleep and storage of your belongings, were they not?

“This is Cabin 1, Zeus’s cabin. He only has one child, a daughter named Thalia, but she’s one of Artemis’s huntresses and she stays in Cabin 8 whenever she visits camp.”

Thalia.

Jupiter doesn’t have a daughter?

“And Cabin 2 is Hera’s. She doesn’t have any demigod children, of course. Cabin 3...” Annabeth had to take a stabilizing breath. “Cabin 3 is the Poseidon cabin. Usually it has one inhabitant, my boyfriend Percy, but... well, I found you three looking for him.”

Missing.

I was missing from somewhere. Did anyone miss me as she misses him? Was anyone looking for me? 

Did someone love me as she loved him? 

I was his. He was mine.

He, with blue eyes of lightning and golden hair he lamented in cutting for battle. He who was like static on my lips. He… him.

His name was unreachable but I would stop at nothing to reach it.

I needed his name.

“Tavi?” It seemed she was back to calling me that. “You look deep in thought.”

“I’m trying to be,” I grumbled as I focused in on what my eyes were looking at but I did not see. The Hera cabin stood tall and glowed in a subtle way.

Something called to me.

_ Go to it. _

Later.

“That’s all the cabins. Let me show you the volleyball court and the dining hall now, it’s almost lunch and I’m sure you’re starving.”

Not really.

“I’m starving,” Leo announced with a wide grin. With all the energy he exuded, I honestly wasn’t all that surprised by the revelation.

_ He’s fun. _

In a way.

Piper walked close to me, her knuckles brushing up against mine. I knew what she wanted.

_ You could do with the comfort too, Tavi. _

I didn’t need the comfort. And I could give it to her, but who knew what she would think then? Would she believe that it meant that I reciprocated her feelings?

Leo had implied that we were in a relationship, hadn’t he? How could we, when I had no memory of her and knew I so assuredly wasn’t hers?

I was not a nice person. Nice people get nowhere.

I slipped my hand into my pocket, fingers idly playing with the golden chain on my wrist.

It was better for us both—

It was so cold.

Why was the air so thick?

Why did it burn?

Why couldn’t I see?

My limbs flailed but I couldn’t stabilize. Where was the ground?

Up. I had to get up.

Someone hauled me up and out of the water, another hand rubbing my back as I coughed the burning liquid from my lungs.

“Are you okay, Tavi?”

“You good, dude?”

“Do you not know how to swim, Octavian?”

Annabeth knelt in front of me as I shivered violently. There may not have been snow, but it was December in New York and the water was frigid.

“Ob- Obviously not.” I coughed harshly, the sound rough against my ears. I was hauled up and Leo, despite being quite a bit shorter than me and rather thin, supported me.

“Get your shirt off.” Annabeth had a blanket. “It’ll just make you colder. We’ll get you to the Big House, there’s always extra clothing there.”

My hands were shaking and my fingers felt stiff.

Why the hell did this shirt have so many buttons?

I tossed it down and wrapped the blanket over my shoulders as quickly as possible. My lungs still burnt badly, but at least I was warmer.

Was this blanket charmed?

“Octavian… You have a tattoo?”

What?

I stuck my left arm out and stared down at it. SPQR. A lyre. Seven bars beneath it.

“That’s a burn scar, Octavian.”

“That’s a brand.” Annabeth shook her head and grabbed my wrist. 

“ _ Senatus Populusque Romanus,  _ the Senate and People of Rome,” I mumbled, staring down at it. Why did I feel… proud? 

_ It was an achievement, a victory. _

“What does that represent? And a lyre, that’s the symbol of—”

As she said that, a glow began to surround me.

“—Apollo. God of Music, Healing, Archery, Truth, Poetry, and—”

_ Prophecy. _

_ He who Sees the Future. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea has been only tugging at my mind for a few days, but I find it interesting. Octavian is the fandom's most hated character, our Umbridge (though my opinion of him has recently changed). I'm not sure when, how, or even if this will be continued, but I've left it marked unfinished just for that hope. 
> 
> I hope you like it!


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